The present invention relates generally to fiberoptic lighting systems and, more particularly, to a fiberoptic multi-beam roadway illumination device having a multiple separate light paths optically coupled with a single optical lens for selectively and separately or simultaneously producing different beam patterns and/or colors.
It is well known in the field of fiberoptics that optical fibers are capable of effectively and efficiently conducting light from a common source along nonlinear paths to various locations remote from the light source without encountering substantial transmission losses. Because of this capability, there is increasing interest in the application of optical fibers to uses where space is restricted. One such use is the overall illumination needs of vehicles where space is scarce due to aerodynamic and styling considerations.
The application of optical fibers to vehicular illumination needs is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,172 to Davenport et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,718 to Davenport et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,227 to Finch et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,263 to Davenport et al., all assigned to General Electric Company. Different approaches to providing forward low and high beam illumination patterns for vehicles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,811,172, 4,868,718 and 4,949,227. An approach to providing a centralized lighting system for aerodynamically styled vehicles which employs a high intensity light source is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,263.
These different approaches to providing high and low beam illumination may fulfill illumination needs of vehicles. However, major shortcomings of each approach are the excessive size of the illumination device and multiplicity and complexity of parts used by the device. In view of these shortcomings, the illumination devices of the aforementioned patents fail to accommodate space limitations dictated by vehicular aerodynamic and styling requirements. Thus, there is still a need for a fiberoptic high and low beam device and other multi-beam illumination devices that will satisfy illumination requirements while avoiding the aforementioned shortcomings.